Why Ghana is flying $3 million to the World Cup

Ghana's Black Stars will finally get their pay after playing without "appearance fees" since the beginning of the World Cup, the Ghana Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.

Issouf Sandogo | AFP | Getty Images

Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, practice during a training session in 2013.

"His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama has personally intervened to have the Black Stars World Cup appearance fees paid by Wednesday afternoon," the association said.

Ghana's government is "pre-financing" the payment, the statement said, and will receive a reimbursement when FIFA's prize money for Ghana's participation in the World Cup is paid.

Deputy Sports Minister, Joseph Yamin, told Accra's Citi 97.3 FM on Tuesday that the government is flying $3 million in cash to Brazil in order to pay the team. The delay came from a disagreement about the payment mode and landing rights for the chartered plane carrying the cash, Yamin told the station.

The players wanted hard cash rather than the ministry's preferred e-banking method, the news station reported.